Chicago, IL | Loud Pizza Records scores with an inviting appeal, brilliant marketing strategy and perfect location: The Record Store Recon edition of the Goldmine Podcast visits Loud Pizza, a record store in Chicago, IL, with special guest Liverpool Neil from the podcast Punk Till I Die. Listen in on how Loud Pizza Records scores with an inviting appeal, brilliant marketing strategy and perfect location. The Record Store Recon edition of the Goldmine Podcast visits Loud Pizza, a record store in Chicago, IL, with editor Patrick Prince and roving (somewhat anonymous) reporter Dr. Disc. Also, special guest Liverpool Neil of the podcast Punk Till I Die joins the episode for a fun discussion about this new, exciting record store in the Highland Park area.
London, UK | VDS London: East London’s paradise for Japanese vinyl collectors: …VDS, short for Vinyl Delivery Service, is a two-pronged enterprise built on vinyl exchanges between Tokyo and London. Established as a base office in Tokyo in 2018, the store cast its net further afield with the opening of the Columbia Road location three years later. Headed up by the VDS London director Scott Pelloux and founder and director of the Tokyo and London branches, Rintaro Sekizuka, the store has been serving the interests of a growing niche of Japanese vinyl collectors across London for two years. VDS London got its humble beginnings at a pop-up store at Hidden Sounds’ old space in Bethnal Green. Here, Scott met Rintaro and was introduced to his extensive record collection. “I kept in touch with Rintaro after that and he wanted to open a branch of VDS in Europe or the UK, more specifically,” Scott explains. Two years later, Scott was made redundant and a plan came together.
Asheville, NC | Psychic Hotline pops up at Citizen Vinyl: There will be specialty LPs and merch, Burmese tapas, and a DJ set from one half of Sylvan Esso. Psychic Hotline, an artist-run record label from Durham, has big plans for its two-day stop in Asheville. The label will host a retail pop-up, featuring special releases from NC artists like The Dead Tongues, Kieran Hebden & William Tyler, Flock of Dimes, and Peach Fuzz from 12 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14 to Thursday, June 15 at Citizen Vinyl. While the vinyl releases (which are pressed at Citizen Vinyl) are undoubtedly cool, there will be much more than albums for sale. On Wednesday, chef Paul Cressend will serve small plates, with aThokelay slinging Burmese tapas the following evening. Music heads can also expect natural wine from Pink Moon and a line of a Psychic Hotline-inspired craft cocktails from Session Cafe & Bar. For all the Sylvan Esso fans out there, the pop-up will also include a DJ set from Nick Sanborn (who is one half of the indie electropop band), as well as Helado Negro, DJ Lil Meow Meow, and SHWNxSBTG.
Forest, VA | ‘Bring the fun back to Forest:’ Twice Records store brings vinyl back: Vinyl is BACK in the Forest! Twice Records has officially opened its doors as your one-stop shop for everything records, CDs, cassettes, and more. The owner, Spyros Theodorides, that there’s been a huge demand for the store and they have something for everyone to enjoy. “Twice Records has just blossomed into what everybody’s been looking for, Theodorides said. “So we’re trying to bring fun and records back to Forest. We have our first class section, we have our business class and our economy. So you can fly in one or you can fly in all three.” Theodorides said that people of all ages and from all over have been stopping by. The store is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 to 5.
Bronx, NY | Puerto Rican native’s music store remains staple in Bronx community decades later: Record labels have disappeared, but the hip-swaying rhythms of salsa and merengue can still be found in a beloved music store that’s remained a fixture in the Bronx for decades. Charlie Montoyo says people “go crazy” when they walk into the Casa Amadeo music store for the first time. Montoyo still feels that way and he pays a visit every time he is in New York. The Puerto Rican bench coach for the Chicago White Sox pops into the store in Longwood to not only sort through the volumes of salsa CDs, but also to catch up with the long-time owner, 89-year-old Miguel Amadeo. “I play maracas with him, and he plays the guitar, and he doesn’t do that for everybody,” Montoyo said. “So, it’s an honor for me that he lets me play with him.” Amadeo has owned and managed this last-of-a-dying breed store since 1969.
Los Angeles, CA | As vinyl records make a comeback, furniture manufacturing studio capitalizes: “The inspiration for Open 45 is the idea of keeping your records in sight and ready to play.” The founder of a California-based furniture manufacturer believes there’s an untapped market for vinyl storage furniture. So, he got to work on the Open 45 credenza. “Many record collections are hidden from sight in cabinets, stacked anonymously on a shelf or stored too low to reach comfortably,” says Adam Friedman, Open 45 creator and founder of Geology Studio. “The inspiration for Open 45 is the idea of keeping your records in sight and ready to play, allowing you to spend time enjoying the fidelity of your vinyl.” …“The Open 45 was designed with the audiophile in mind, the record collector seeking a greater ease of use with their vinyl,” said Vanessa Friedman, wife of Adam Friedman and Geology Studio co-founder. “We design and build the piece, but our clients make it their own. The way someone chooses to live with and display their collection is highly personal; there’s no one-size-fits-all.”
ABKCO Records announces massive Rolling Stones vinyl reissue campaign: Sixteen titles from 1960s catalog will be available over the next year: ABKCO Records reissued the US version of the seminal 1966 album Aftermath by The Rolling Stones on vinyl at the end of March, kicking off the label’s enormous undertaking of getting 16 titles from the legendary rock band’s back catalog back in print in their original format. Throughout the remainder of the year and into early 2024, US and UK versions of albums recorded between 1963 and 1970, largely by the original Jagger/Richards/Jones/Watts/Wyman lineup, will find their way onto 180-gram vinyl. Some of these titles, including their debut live album Got Live If You Want It!, Between The Buttons (US) and the aforementioned Aftermath (US), have been out-of-print as stand-alone vinyl records for the past 37 years.
9 cheap upgrades you can make to improve your vinyl setup: We’ve hand-picked a selection of wallet-friendly gizmos and gadgets that’ll boost your record-playing experience. It doesn’t matter what age you are or whether you love rock, metal, prog or punk – there’s something magical about listening to music on vinyl. Maybe it’s the anticipation as the needle hits the groove; perhaps it’s being able to properly admire the cover art; or it could be you just like looking cool when your friends come over. Whatever your reasons for loving vinyl records, you’ll want to ensure that the experience is as fabulous as it can be. Obviously, your first concern should be getting your hands on a brilliant turntable – and you’ll find some top choices in our list of the best record players. But getting something decent to play your collection on is just the start, and there are a number of other accessories you might want to consider, to ensure that your vinyl journey goes as smoothly as possible, including cool vinyl storage ideas. Here, then, are nine great ways you can upgrade your record-spinning rig without breaking the bank.
